


Epyllion

by LanaDelJones



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Hero and Leander retelling, it gets a little dark but i promise theres a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 21:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20319913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LanaDelJones/pseuds/LanaDelJones
Summary: The moon and stars as the only witnesses to their forbidden love, he moved through the woods in the dead of night to be with his beloved. The soft glow of her ever faithful lantern high up in her tower calling for him like a soft siren’s song, guiding his way through the treacherous waters of Sweetwater river.A Hero and Leander Greek myth retelling with a Bughead twist





	Epyllion

**Author's Note:**

> *pokes head out from hiding*  
Hi guys, sorry I've been m.i.a I just got back from vacation and getting back to writing some more!  
this has been in my head for sometime and i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> also thank you so so so much for everyone who nominated me/voted for me for the Bughead Fanfic Awards, i appreciate every single one of you! it was unreal being on the same list as so many amazing writers.

The sound of rushing water surrounded Betty her whole life, from daybreak to nightfall the constant hum from the wide river played the soundtrack to her life. Betty grew to love the sound, seeking its sweet lullaby on lonely, tear filled nights. She also grew to loathe the sound, on bad nights she would curse the offended loud noise for its constant reminder of her life.

  
Betty often sat on her windowsill and daydream overlooking the river that flowed by her tower. With her hands clasped on the ivy-clad stone her mind would wander. She wished she lived a normal simple life, she wished she wasn’t confined to this crumbling tower. Most of all, she wished for control, not control over others but control over her own life.

  
Betty, as her mother before her, serve the goddess Aphrodite, which means a life of solitude and chastity. Betty’s mother found her truelove in her father, but failed the test Eros gave her and succumbed to lust. For the cardinal sin of her mother sealed Betty’s fate, because a spiteful Aphrodite demanded a sacrifice from Alice. And at the young age of five, Betty was brought to this lonely tower by her mother and was left here.

  
As Betty grew older the longing for adventure and independence grew stronger, she dreamed of a life outside these walls and prayed the goddess she served would grant her wishes soon. Every week Betty would trek to the highest cliff and give an offering to her goddess, hoping that this time will be the time that Aphrodite will release her binds and set her free. But every time she will receive no sign from her and she will walk back to her home with tears falling gently down her face.

  
The sun shining on her face woke her up with a start, she looked outside her window and silently cursed herself, she had slept in on a very important day. Scrambling out of bed she sits before her mirror and begins to pin her hair up, her fingers slowly going over the intricate pearl pins she gets to wear today for the special occasion. Today is the day the entire town of Riverdale is celebrating her goddess, and this is the one time a year she is allowed to roam the town freely and enjoy herself. With her hair finished she walks over to her formal robes, she observes the sun reflecting off the pearls and various seashells that adorn the back of the blush pink fabric. With the garment on she moves in front of the mirror and smiles at what she sees, she twirls a few times then sits down to lace up her sandals and heads out of her room and out of the tower.

  
The streets are filled with townsfolk walking down towards the town’s square, the sweet smell of the feast fill Betty’s nose as its carried over by a light breeze. Children run past her as their laughter fills the air and it brings a smile to her face, as she reaches closer to the square she begins to feel eyes on her. Looking around she notices that men of all ages are staring at her, running her hands down her robes she tries to steady her breathing and ignore the looks.

  
Before she can even get to the town square Betty is stopped by an older man who appears to be holding a jug of wine, “what’s a pretty thing like you doing all alone?” the stench from his breath made Betty gag. Taking a step back from the offending man Betty gives him a cold look, “that’s really none of your concern” and turns quickly and walks away before giving the inebriated man a chance to respond.

  
Shaking her head as she’s walking away Betty is stopped once again by a young boy holding a bouquet of flowers, “umm excuse me” his voice squeaked “this is for you” and his shaky hand holds up a single rose. Betty smiles warmly at the sweet boy, “it’s beautiful, thank you so much” she takes the rose and puts it behind one of her ears, giving the boy a playful wink she begins walking away.

  
Hoping that was the last of her interruptions Betty enters the town’s square and a smile forms on her lips at the sight before her, colorful flags hung high above her and a large crowd was forming in front of the statue of Aphrodite as people were laying their gifts at the statue’s feet. Music was playing and people were dancing and enjoying themselves, Betty walked over to the pastry table and picked out her favorite treat and watched the people twirl and dance before her.

  
With her pastry almost finished she heard someone approach her from behind, “excuse me miss” a confident voice began, “would you like to dance?” Betty turned her head and smiled at the man. He was tall and Betty figured he would be considered handsome by the other women in town, he had a charming smile and hair kissed by Apollo.  
“No thank you” she smiles at him, “I’m not much of a dancer”

  
“I find that very hard to believe” he smirks, “you’ve been watching them dance since you got here” he waves his hand over to the various people moving.

  
“And it seems you’ve been watching me” she crosses her arms, “the answer is still no”

  
He moves his hand to his chest and dramatically clutches his heart “you wound me, miss”

  
“Somehow I think you will pull through” she laughs

  
Suddenly behind the redhead a large group of men roughly the same age appear

  
“See I knew he couldn’t get her to dance with him!” one of the men clapped the redhead on the shoulders, “better luck next time” he laughs and the group behind him follow along.

  
Betty takes a step back, a bad feeling overcame her and she wished nothing more than to get away from this group. Just as she was about to turn away one of the men shouted, “where do you think your going gorgeous?”

Betty’s eyes widen as the men begin to move closer to her, she looks around her for anyone nearby for help but the other patrons seemed to be busy in other things. Feeling closed in Betty closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, with her eyes still closed she hears a few of the men shout out and when she opens her eyes she notices they had taken a step back.

  
But there was a new addition to the group, standing before her was a tall handsome hand with midnight black hair and the kindest blue eyes Betty has ever seen. Staring at his face Betty waits for him to speak, but surprisingly he doesn’t and only offers her his hand. When she looked back up to his face he smirked and tilted his head to the side, Betty takes a step forward and looks behind him at the group of men before placing her small hand in his large warm palm.

  
The way his hands wrapped around hers sent chills up her arm, she suddenly felt safe from those other men and she was grateful for this mystery man with the crooked smile. Walking out of the town’s square she silently followed him down the path that leads to Sweetwater river, each step they took the music from the festivities grew softer and softer. They reached a grassy area by the river and each took a seat on the plush earth.

  
Betty tried with all her might to keep her eyes on the water in front of them but she couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering to the man sitting next to her. After a moment of staring for too long he moved his head to look at her, catching Betty off guard

  
“Thank you” she begins, a rosy blush blooming across her cheeks, “for getting me out of whatever situation that was” she moves her hands in front of her.

  
“Anytime” the low deep timbre of his voice sent a jolt through her body.

  
“I’m sorry if those guys back there scared you in anyway” he turns his face to gaze into hers, their eyes lock and Betty holds herself back from reaching forward to brush the loose curl that hangs on his forehead. Blinking away the thought, her cheeks flush from embarrassment, she turns towards the water and brings her knees up. Resting her chin on her folded arms on top of her knees she watches the sun reflect off the crystal blue waters

  
“I’m Betty” she barely whispers, she moves her eyes ever so slightly toward the man and her eyes widen when she realized that he was turned towards her, still watching her. With olive skin shimmering in the sunlight she watches as he lifts his hand from the plush grass and moves closer towards her. Betty holds her breath as he ever so gently moves a few strands of her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

“I’m Jughead” he replies in a strong but quiet voice. Betty couldn’t help the grin that grew on her face after hearing the unusual name, the unamused face Jughead shot her way made her smile sweetly at him.

  
“I like your name” she pats his knee teasingly, “it suits you” the snort in response she got made her chuckle. Looking down between them Betty realised that they had both closed the distance between them, she looks over her shoulders and see a few townsfolk walking down the path heading towards the festivities. She imagines that to any unsuspecting person they would appear to be a couple, as her mind wanders Betty lets out a sigh knowing that she will never be allowed to do any of those things. With her eyes glazed over daydreaming of the activities her and Jughead could do if she wasn’t a servant to a spiteful god she didn’t notice the movement to her side.

  
The feel of warm skin caressing her exposed back jolted her out of her daydream and goosebumps began to rise on her over heightened skin. With nimble fingers running smoothly across the strands of pearls and seashells that adorned her milky back she felt his plush lips ghost a kiss to her shoulder blade.

  
“You are so beautiful, Betty” he whispers, the sensation of his warm breath against the side of her neck made her close her eyes.

  
“I” she begins but her breath gets caught in her throat

  
“We can’t do this” her voice is weak

  
“How come?” he runs his fingertips slowly down her arms, “can’t you feel it too?” he moves his fingers to glide across her shoulders.

  
Betty draws a shaky breath, with eyes still closed she follows the sensation of his fingers and feels the warmth his trails leaves on her skin,

“yes” she exhales

  
“Then why do you wish to stop this?” his lips brush the delicate skin behind her ear.

  
Teetering on the edge of reality and fully succumbing to the feel of Jughead’s strong hands on her skin, Betty can’t help but think about being tangled up in her white sheets with him, _the gods be dammed_

  
Suddenly Betty’s eyes snapped open, a test she thinks to herself, this must be the same type a test her mother failed. Moving her body away from Jughead, she turns to face him

  
“I’m sorry” she begins, eyes trained to the earth beneath her feet, “I can’t go against my goddess’ wishes”

  
“Goddess? I don’t understand”

  
“I’m a servant to the goddess Aprhodite” she looks up into Jughead’s face, “I’m destined to live a life of solitude and servitude ” her eyes trace the lines and angles of his face to commit to her memory.

  
“That makes no sense” shaking his hair, causing his inky curls to bounce, “why would the goddess of love, forbid such a thing?”

  
“I don’t have the answer to that” she wrings her hands together.

  
She watches as Jughead frowns, a small crease forming between his brows, he stands up from the ground and her eyes begin to water at the thought of him just leaving her there at the banks of Sweetwater river.

  
“I wish…” she begins with a sniffle, “I wish I knew why” a lone tear falls from her eye

  
She was quickly engulfed by Jughead, his warm strong arms held her in a tight and comforting hug. With his nose in her hair and this fingers rubbing soothing circles into her skin Betty relaxes and tightens her arms around him.

  
“We will figure it out” he reassures her, “I will be here however way you’ll allow me” he runs his hands down her hair.

  
“You truly mean that?” her voice muffled

  
“Absolutely”

  
After a few moments they untangled their arms and took a few steps back, Betty looks out to the horizon and notices that the sun is nearly setting. “I need to start heading back” her voice wanders off, she wished this day never had to end.

  
“Let me walk you home?”

  
“Sure” she smiles towards him

  
They begin their walk towards the tower, walking closely their hands would occasionally brush against each other. The walk turned bittersweet once Jughead intertwined their fingers together and gave her a gentle squeeze. Betty didn’t want this day to come to an end, she wanted more time with him. As the tower came into view Betty sighed and slowed her steps, trying to prolong their time together.

  
“Is that your home?” Jughead asked raising their joined hands in the tower’s direction

  
“Unfortunately, yes” she responds, glaring at the offending building.

“Where do you live?” she questions

  
“Oh” he stops and turns her to face the river, “I live on the other side” he jutts his chin towards the treeline on the opposite side.

  
“The southside?”

  
“Yes” he sighs, “it’s not as bad as the town likes to make it out to be” he begins, kicking a rock across the path

  
“I never believed the rumors” she places her free hand onto his forearm, “it’s just a shame, that means it will be awhile until we meet again” she said solemnly.

  
“Missing me already?” he teased, after a short moment of silence between them passed he spoke up again, “I could swim”

  
Confused, Betty looks towards him, “I know how to swim too”

  
“No” he shakes his head, “I mean I can swim across and come meet you” his eyes sparkling in excitement

  
“That’s too dangerous”

  
“I’m an excellent swimmer”

  
“I have no doubt” she laughs, “but it seems you’ve forgotten something”

  
“Oh?” he raises one eyebrow

  
“I cannot have gentlemen callers swimming up to my home everyday”

  
“Easy fix, I come at night”

  
“You can’t be serious” her eyes scanned his face, “that’s beyond dangerous”

  
“That maybe so” he pulled her closer towards him, “but oh so worth it” his eyes wander down to her lips and he begins to close the distance between them.

  
“In that case” Betty steps away from him, “I’ll make sure to light a lantern in my window to guide your way” she begins walking up the steps to her front door when Jughead reaches for her hand

  
“I would greatly appreciate it” his thumb beings moving along her wrist, “I’ll see you tomorrow night” his eyes locked onto hers as he lifts her hand up and places a soft kiss.

Releasing her hand he begins to turn and walk away, just as he was about to turn down the path he looks over his shoulder and give Betty a playful wink.

  
Betty slept soundly that night, allowing the events of the day to lull her to sleep. She awoke the next morning and proceeded to go about her normal daily routine, but she missed Jughead deeply. Once the last sliver of daylight faded away she carried her lantern to her window overlooking the river and lit the wick, chastising herself to even thinking there was a chance Jughead would attempt to swim the rushing water at night. After watching the way the moonlight reflected and danced across the black water, she moved to sit on her bed and grabbed her favorite book and began reading. Betty lost track of time, but as soon jolted out of her trance when loud knocking could be heard from her front door. A wide grin spread across her features at the possibility of Jughead being at her threshold, she quickly rose from her bed and out her bedroom. Her feet carried her down the stone steps as quickly as she could manage, her heart beating with anticipation as she reached the door’s handle.Throwing the door open in haste, Betty couldn’t stop the squeal of excitement when her eyes landed on Jughead.

  
“Told you I was a good swimmer” his smirk was wide and his eyes twinkled like the night sky. Betty rolled her eyes and stepped aside to allow him inside, then led him up to her room.

  
It was only then, in the glow of the light in her bedroom did Betty realized what dangerous territory she put herself in. Not only was Jughead completely soaked from head to toe, but the water seemed to make his inky locks darker, curlier, more sinful. Betty licked her lips as she carefully watched a water droplet travel down the side of his neck. It was there in the dim light that she knew she wasn’t strong enough to resist. _The gods be damned._

The moon and stars as the only witnesses to their forbidden love, he moved through the woods in the dead of night to be with his beloved. The soft glow of her ever faithful lantern high up in her tower calling for him like a soft siren’s song, guiding his way through the treacherous waters of Sweetwater river.

His warm strong body against her soft flesh enticed her, opening her eyes to the many delights the night had to offer her. With soft caresses and even softer kisses he slowly tore down her walls that were built from her life of servitude to the goddess Aphrodite. 

With him sitting at the edge of the bed, shirt off and muscles contracting as he pants with need, she moves slowly away from him. Turning her back to him, she looks over her shoulder as she slips her finger under the strap of her silk slip. Moving the wisp of fabric slowly down her arm she never breaks eye contact, teasing him with each new inch of milky skin she reveals to him. 

Their love was passionate and raw and flourished during the long summer nights, but with the harsh winter was quickly approaching a decision needed to be made. Their hearts not able to bare a night without the other, Jughead swears to Betty he will still cross the waters under the watch of the moon. The weather be damned. 

One particularly nasty cold night, the wind howled in protest of the young man toeing the water’s edge. His eyes gazing upon the choppy waters until his gaze wandered upwards towards the lone tower by the sea. He sees his beacon of light and the shilouette of his one true love, with his eyes still trained to the high tower he begins to walk into the frigid water.

During his swim to the other side, he gets thrown around in the heavy currents and loses his bearings. Breaking through the waters surface he gasps for air and begins to frantically search for Betty’s light, only to be greeted with darkness and the stars mocking him from high above.

The howling wind blew out her lamp and try as she might the wind did not allow her to relight it for a few panic-stricken moments. But the moment was long lost as Jughead’s dark locks sink under the unforgiving water.

Frantically pacing her bedroom, Betty keeps glancing towards the stone steps that lead directly to the river. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as the first light of a new day began to break through the horizon. As the light began to flood her bedroom Betty couldn’t bare to look out her window towards the cruel waters. 

With an unsteady breath she pads her way over to the window, wiping her wetness off her cheeks she closes her eyes until she felt she had enough strength to gaze outside. She looks out to the water and relief washes over her momentarily as she doesn’t see anything amiss. That is until she looks to the left of her window, towards the old stone steps. 

Her breath leaves her lungs, her knees begin to buckle, her vision blurs with white hot tears. There laying upon the steps, facedown, is her beloved. Her guttural sobs echoed in her room, she can’t will her eyes to move their gaze from his beautiful pale lifeless body. 

Her knees buckle and she falls harshly down, she wraps her arms around her torso hoping it will hold her together. Her shoulders shake with her deep sobs as she thinks of his warm laugh under the sheets of her bed. The late night pillow talk they often shared, where he would play with her hair until she fell asleep soundly in his arms. She wails for her lover with his unruly dark locks, piercing blue eyes and charming crooked smile. 

Her life is bleak without him, it was snuffed out just like the waters had done to him. Without him her life will be spent alone in this tower, not being allowed to leave its confines. She was a prisoner, and this stone tower her cell. She knows deep in her heart the goddess she serves will never let her truly live. She has no control of anything in her life, her mother and the goddess she serves dictating her every move. This is no way to live, Betty thinks bitterly to herself. She looks over her shoulder to the open window, where below she knows her beloved is waiting for her.

Rising to her feet, the blood from her scraped knees begin to gently flow down her legs. She walks to the window and with shaky limbs she begins to climb. Standing on the windowsill her feet planted firmly on the cold stone, she wiggles her toes that hang over the edge. She looks down towards Jughead for the last time and whispers to the wind, “I love you, always” her tears fall and stain the white fabric of her robes “I’ll see you soon, my love” 

She looks across the river and towards the horizon, taking a deep breath she closes her eyes and hears birds chirping in the distance. With numb fingers gripping the moss covered stone she turns her face up towards the sky, with one last plea to her goddess or any god that may hear her she whispers ever so softly “please,  _ please,  _ hear my prayers and allow me to be with him” 

Clouds above her move and allow the sun to break through, the sunbeam warms her cold wet cheeks and Betty sighs at the comforting caress. Sniffling she slowly opens her eyes still facing the heavens, hopeful to see a sign that the gods heard her and were willing to grant her wishes. Turning her head towards the horizon her eyes scanned the area and her stomach begins to sink when she doesn’t see any signs. 

New tears began to flow freely down her face as the realization that the gods didn’t care about her pleas or prayers. As she watches two doves flying above her she made her mind up, she will no longer be at the mercy of someone else’s bidding, from this point forward she would make her own decisions. And with this newfound freedom, Betty will make her first, and last, decision. She was going to be with her beloved Jughead.

The small chuckle that came out of Betty surprised her, she supposed this cynical thought was due to Jughead rubbing off of her, but she didn’t mind. As she’s staring at the constantly moving water her mind starts to wander,and she begins to imagine the small little town’s reaction to what she plans to do in a short few minutes.

A large crowd will form at the tower steps, the townspeople unsure of what to make of the scene before them. The loud whispers between them will be deafening. Before them, half in the water and half on the steps, lays Betty Cooper of the northside and Jughead Jones of the Southside. Both are floating face down next to each other, the river’s current bringing her body to finally be next to her lovers. Betty’s long blonde hair, darkened by the water, floats around them like a heavenly halo. 

Shaking her head clear of this morbid daydream, Betty gazes across the horizon with the last fleeting ounce of hope still inside of her for a sign from the gods. When she doesn’t see anything amiss, she shuffled her feet closer to the window’s edge. She closes her eyes and listens for the last time the melody of the birds chirps and water gurgling below her, she lets her mind wander to memories with Jughead and her grip on the stone wall begins to loosen.

Suddenly something soft caresses her face, with the tenderness of a lover’s touch. Letting her hands fall to her sides, the winds pick up and move her hair all around her. With her eyes closed still, Betty takes a deep breath and readies herself for the leap before her. Then again she feels the soft caress upon the apples of her cheeks, thinking it must be her hair Betty shakes her head in an attempt to move her hair out of her face. 

With a few steady breaths to center herself Betty feels her heartbeat quicken as she begins to lift one foot off the windowsill, suddenly the wind whirled and twisted around her. “Open your eyes, child” was whispered in her ears and Betty gasped at the tickling sensation. She slowly opened her eyes and what she saw before her brought new tears to her eyes. 

All around her blush pink roses were falling from the sky, looking down she noticed a few petals were intertwined in her hair. She watched in fascination as the rose petals mixed beautifully with the rushing water below her. She hesitantly looked back towards the stone steps leading into the now rose infused river and a cry broke free from her throat, Jughead no longer laid before it. Scanning the ground below she couldn’t find him, she turned her head towards the water and couldn’t see any trace of him in sight. Then far off in the middle of the wide river she saw white bubbles beginning to form, with wide unblinking eyes she watches the frothing water for any sign of him. Then, emerging from the white foam she watched as midnight hair began to break through. With a laugh, Betty turns her smiling face up towards the peculiar raining sky, “thank you for granting my prayers”. The wind picks up around her feet and a single rose petal slides off the slope of her nose and lands on her plump lips before being carried away by the wayward breeze.

Jumping down from the window into her room Betty rushes out the door and quickly runs down the spiraling stairs, tripping on occasion. She doesn’t bother to slow down as she reaches the heavy wooden doors to the outside as she bursts through them with a loud bang. Rushing down the steps and onto the petal covered sand Betty’s eyes start to water as to what's to come. She turns the corner and there standing knee deep in the water, with a few petals in his messy dark curls is Jughead. 

Her sob echoes around them as she races towards the water, her white robes begin to turn sheer in the early morning light. The further she got into the water the more her robes began to be tinted the same soft blush color as the silky petals that fell from the sky and danced around them in the swirling water. As she inched closer to him she couldn’t contain her excitement and leapped the final few inches between them,his strong arms wrapped instantly around her. With her face in the krook of his neck she inhaled deeply and felt his arms tighten around her, “I thought I lost you forever” she heard him whisper into her hair. 

Moving slightly away from him, Betty looks up into his eyes and move her hands to cup his face “I’m yours, completely” her thumbs moving across this olive skin, “forever and always,my love” 

His grin was dazzling and he began to spin in a tight circle causing Betty to laugh and throw her head back. Her hair blowing in the wind, and Jughead’s deep laugh made her heart soar, suddenly his warm breath was against her ear “I love you” he whispered tenderly

Betty moved to stare directly into his eyes and with every fiber of her being replied, “I love you” before their lips connected in a tender and passionate kiss, the intensity of the kiss made them lose balance and crash into the water. They were a tangle of arms and fabric and petals but Betty didn’t mind, this was exactly where she wanted to forever be.

**Author's Note:**

> xoxo, M


End file.
